Summary

• Anyone But You sequel potential at Ben and Bea's wedding offers dramatic narrative possibilities for the rom-com genre.
• Box office success of Anyone But You proves audience demand for feel-good romantic comedies, paving the way for more films like it.
• Sequel to Anyone But You could explore different plot elements like Ben and Bea's breakup or saving another couple's marriage.

With Anyone But You becoming a surprise hit at the box office, there are several routes a sequel could take if Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney returned. The romantic comedy genre hasn't been as popular in recent years, despite films like 50 First Dates and 13 Going on 30 being cultural touchstones of the 2000s. A constantly evolving movie culture means different genres fluctuating in popularity, and Anyone But You has established a precedent for more movies like it, including the potential for a sequel.

Anyone But You has set box office records with its $190 million performance, proving that there's an audience for fun, feel-good romantic comedies. That may not sound like an enormous box office pull compared to the likes of Barbie, but against a $25 million budget, it's an impressive profit. In an interview with E!, star Sydney Sweeney responded to the possibility of a sequel, saying, "We're talking about stuff. You never know; you'll have to wait and see." Rom-com sequels are tricky, but if she and Glen Powell are on board, there are plenty of narrative possibilities.

Anyone But You isn't available on streaming yet, but the film can be rented digitally on Prime Video and other VOD services.

6 Anyone But You 2 Could Take Place At Ben And Bea's Wedding

A wedding between Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell's characters is the perfect sequel setting.

The natural course for a romantic comedy sequel is to take place at another wedding, and Sweeney and Powell's Ben and Bea are the most likely candidates. With the first film taking place at Claudia and Halle's wedding, having another destination wedding at an exotic wedding is almost required for the setting. With Ben and Bea getting married, there's plenty of dramatic potential between the two and other ing characters. Audiences have already been introduced to several family and friends, but the pair must have plenty of other characters to attend their wedding and stir the pot.

If Ben and Bea were to be married, examining the growth of their relationship would be essential. Wondering how rom-com couples wind up after the film ends is always a fascinating discussion, as different viewers will have varying opinions on the couple's compatibility. In the case of Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell's characters, seeing how they've turned out after such a tumultuous experience in coming together would be an excellent sequel plot point. If they're getting married, last-minute wedding doubts are always fun rom-com drama, and the sequel could tie in events from the first film to justify those doubts.

5 Ben And Bea Could Break Up (And Have To Fake Date Again)

If Ben and Bea don't live happily ever after, there's still room for a rom-com.

Instead of getting married, Ben and Bea's relationship could've taken a turn for the worse after Anyone But You. If the sequel wanted to directly copy the first film's formula, pitting Ben and Bea against each other after a brutal breakup could be the strategy. Many of the best rom-coms of all time show couples coming together, but exploring the difficulties of maintaining a relationship is less common in movies. Before Sunset is a fantastic example of a romance sequel demonstrating the natural tension of two characters who once had romantic feelings for each other.

With that romantic tension in mind for Ben and Bea's relationship heading into a sequel, they still need a reason to come together. A sequel could see them brought together at another gorgeous vacation setting, with them being forced to fake date again, prompting their actual romantic feelings to resurface. Unlike the Anyone But You ending, where the pair wind up together, a sequel could see them work as a team to fake date, then realize that they aren't right for each other romantically. This would allow them to address their relationship maturely after a fun getaway fling.

4 Anyone But You 2 Could Happen At Jonathan And Margaret's Wedding

Ben and Bea's exes were teased at being together, and their wedding could make for a drama-filled sequel setting.

If it's not at Ben and Bea's wedding, Anyone But You 2 could take place at Jonathan and Margaret's wedding, as their relationship was teased at the end of the first film. This reunion could incorporate all the main characters from Anyone But You and present entertaining drama, with Ben and Bea attending their exes' wedding. Whether Ben and Bea are still together or not, the setting of a wedding between their exes opens up room for opposing love triangles and whatever new factors are thrown into the mix.

3 Ben's Family And Career Could Be The Focus Of Anyone But You 2

Sydney Sweeney's Bea had the majority of the focus in Anyone But You.

Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell are co-stars of Anyone But You, but much of the narrative focuses on Sweeney's Bea and her life choices. Given that the film takes place at her sister's wedding with family and friends present, it's natural that she'd have more of an internal struggle. In a sequel, getting to know Ben's family and the reasons behind his career choices would be an interesting opportunity for fresh drama. Ben's mother has sadly ed away, but there could undoubtedly be other family and friends to mix in.

Even better than just involving Ben's family, seeing them introduced and also incorporating Bea's family could make for a hilarious mix of characters. The parents of both parties meeting is a common rom-com trope, and there's a reason why. Anyone But You 2 could get the most out of its ensemble by setting up Ben's family to naturally clash with Bea's, leaving the two of them to mediate.

2 Ben And Bea Could Have To Save Claudia And Halle's Marriage

Anyone But You 2 could invert the first film's plot.

Anyone But You takes place during Claudia and Halle's marriage, and while they seemed like a solid couple, the weekend wedding getaway wasn't without its rifts. Much of the first film sees Claudia, Halle, and the others messing with Ben and Bea, hoping to bring them together. It'd be fun to see a sequel with the opposite premise, where Ben and Bea can play matchmaker with Claudia and Halle, fabricating the magic of early romance to help them through a tough time in their marriage.

Of course, reflecting things on Ben and Bea's relationship should still be the film's main plot. Claudia and Halle were endearing ing characters, but they didn't have the chemistry to work as the film's central romance. Ben and Bea playing matchmaker could be a fun plot, but the film's center should be on their relationship and how their interaction with another couple allows them to reflect on themselves, together and individually.

1 Anyone But You 2 Should Take After Another Shakespeare Play

Anyone But You 2 could model after another Shakespeare play like A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Though it'd be easy to miss in the film, Anyone But You is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. In modern media culture, loose Shakespeare adaptations are commonplace, and it'd be fun to see a sequel taking the premise of another play. Romeo and Juliet is always an option if the film involves Ben and Bea's families interacting and clashing. Another option for an Anyone But You sequel could be A Midsummer Night's Dream if the film is intended to take place at another wedding.